


Consequences and Biscuit Dough

by CynicalRainbows



Category: Six - Marlow/Moss
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Found Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-22
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:37:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21908302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CynicalRainbows/pseuds/CynicalRainbows
Summary: In which Jane takes care of a hung over Anna.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 78





	Consequences and Biscuit Dough

Her stomach is rolling, the room tips. Closing her eyes makes it worse but keeping them open makes it worse too; she doesn’t so much settle for having them open as give up the effort of having them closed. If she’s going to die from this, she’d rather be able to catch a last glimpse of the world.

The fact that her misery is self inflicted does nothing to settle her stomach. Guilt adds to the sick feeling.

Her door creaks open and she tries to cover her face with her arms. 

‘Not now Kitty’ She doesn’t want anyone to see her like this and she doesn’t have the energy to even begin to pretend she’s ok- she doesn’t have the energy to do anything other than lie on her bedroom carpet and pray for death to come quickly.

When she doesn’t hear anything else, she assumes Kitty has crept away.

Then cool fingers brush her cheek and she can hear the smile in Jane’s voice as she leans over her: ‘You poor thing’

Her only response is a feeble groan.

When Jane’s hands start pulling at her, she tries to squirm away- but Jane is only helping her to sit up.

‘Come on love- let’s get you into bed. You’ll feel better.’ 

She doubts that- she doubts anything will make her feel better- but Jane’s soft voice is very persuasive (and arguing would be unlikely to help the dizziness) so she allows herself to be maneuvered until she’s leaning against the other woman’s shoulder.

‘Ok?’

‘Mmm-hmm. I’m alright really-’ 

She doesn’t want Jane to feel obligated to stay, but the words are barely out before she has to scramble to her feet, a hand clasped to her mouth, as her stomach lurches dangerously. 

She hasn’t eaten since lunch yesterday (which, she reflects, possibly accounts for the state she’s in now)- which is lucky. The bathroom door is locked- she can hear the shower running- and she has to stumble back to her room and spit bile into the rubbish bin by her bedside table.

She expects Jane to slip away, honestly- sympathetic hair stroking is one thing but this is definitely beyond the call of duty- but within seconds, her hair is being smoothed back (she’s never been so grateful for having short hair) and a hand is gently rubbing her back.

‘Ok. It’s ok. I’m here.’

She tries mumbling an apology between retches but Jane shushes her.

‘Shhh, it’s alright. You’re ok.’

Eventually she slumps back onto the floor and Jane slides one of the bed pillows under her head and leaves with the (thankfully solid metal) waste bin.

When she reappears a few minutes later, her hands smell of disinfectant and she’s carrying a glass of water, which she holds to Anna’s lips.

‘Here you go, love. Small sips, ok?’

The water tastes wonderfully of nothing- it soothes her burning throat and pounding head and washes the vile taste from her mouth and she has to fight to keep herself from grabbing the glass from Jane.

By the time it’s empty, she finds she can think more clearly; the room is spinning less when she turns her head to look at Jane.

‘Better? You must have had a rough night…’

She can feel her cheeks heating up. ‘It was only meant to be a couple of drinks….Did I wake you?’

Jane hides a smile. ‘Oh I was already awake- Kat had a bad dream…We heard you come in though.’

‘Ah-’ Anna bites her lip, she feels terrible. As if Kitty doesn’t have enough to have to deal with…. ‘I’m really sorry.’

‘It’s alright-’ Jane is quick to reassure her. ‘I think it actually helped if anything- she thought it was very funny when you cursed the coat stand for getting in your way.’

‘Oh.’ She’s torn between relief for not having made things worse and embarrassment that the whole house must have heard her drunken ramblings. ‘Do you think the others are very annoyed?’

Jane squeezes her hand. ‘I’m sure they’re not. And even if they are, they’ll be over it by this afternoon. Especially as you’re paying for it now.’

She’s not entirely convinced by this but she really doesn’t feel like arguing. Especially when Jane is being nice enough to look after her- even if she isn’t sure why. Justice surely demands that she be left to her own devices.

‘Thanks for the water- and everything.’ With supreme effort, she manages to stand and get herself sitting on the edge of the bed. ‘You can go get on with your day now though….sorry.’ 

Moving makes her head hurt again and she groans a bit as she lowers herself onto the pillow. Her bedding is twisted but she can’t be bothered to get up and fix it, even though it’s uncomfortable, even though it means she can’t get under the covers properly. 

‘It’s ok love-’

The light burns her eyes so she squeezes them shut.

‘Do you want me to-’

‘It’s ok.’ She’s suddenly worried about how much of Jane’s morning she’s taking up- she doesn’t want Jane to start losing patience with her. ‘You can go really- I’m fine.’

(She isn’t really, but she’d rather be not-ok on her own. She doesn’t need anyone taking care of her- it’s hardly right anyone to take care of her when she had things so much easier in their first life. It’s right that she should be on the outside now, always slightly the odd one out. Even if it is that feeling, that loneliness that leads her to want to stay out later, to have just one more drink. Even if it is that feeling that has resulted in her current state.)

It’s not exactly a comforting thought and god knows the bed isn’t comfortable with the duvet half under her, but she drifts off to it anyway.

*

When she next opens her eyes, things are different.

The covers are tucked around her properly, her head is lying straight on the pillow. The light is off, the curtains pulled to.

Something cool and damp lies over her forehead- she lifts a heavy hand and touches it. A flannel.

When she raises her head, there’s a fresh glass of water on the bedside table and a box of Ibuprofen, and by her knees- Jane Seymour, perched on the edge of the bed, needlepoint in her hand and Kitty curled up at her feet.

Kitty spots her first.

‘You’re awake!’

‘Quietly, love-’ Jane looks up and secures her needle quickly. ‘How’s your head?’

‘Yeah, it’s much better.’ She gestures to the water. ‘You really didn’t have to, I was fine.’

‘You really weren’t, love.’

‘Mum said you looked half dead.’ Kat chips in helpfully and Jane pinkens slightly.

‘I don’t think I quite said that, Kitty-’

‘You definitely did.’

‘Kitty-’

‘It’s ok’ Anna cuts in. ‘Thank you so much- seriously Jane, you’re an angel.’

Jane blushes again, but this time she looks pleased.

‘You’re very sweet…. Now, do you think you’re up for some food yet?’

She considers- her stomach does feel an awful lot more normal.

‘Cathy and Anne made biscuits’ Kat adds and Jane looks curious.

‘Really? I don’t smell baking-?’

‘Well-’ Kat fiddles with the pink tips of her ponytail. ‘They did say they might not actually cook them….but the mixture tastes really good! They said they were going to break up a different flavour of chocolate for chocolate chips when I left…’

Jane looks as if she’s considering saying something, and then decides not to. ‘If you have the stomach for something other than raw biscuit dough, I can bring you some toast or something-’

‘Boring!’ Kat springs to her feet and is out of the door before Jane or Anna can say a word. ‘I’ll go see if there’s any left-’

Her pink tips whisk out of sight and she’s gone.

Jane catches Anna’s eye and they both smile.

(There are moments that Anna is so very glad for Jane’s existence and this is one of them- she’s never not grateful for her chance to see Kitty grow into herself, and she’s never not aware of how much Jane has to do with this. Kat’s lucky to have her. They’re all lucky to have her.)

‘I don’t know why I even bother baking anything- I should just give them the next time…’ Jane shakes her head ruefully. ‘Oh well…. Is there anything you’d like?’

She’s treating Anna as if she’s sick- she’s treating her the way she looked after Anne when she picked up the flu. It’s as if Anna hasn’t utterly brought this on herself, as if she isn’t the queen least deserving of comfort and care. It’s confusing- but it’s not unwelcome.

‘It’s ok…’

She’s about to say more but she’s interrupted from voices from downstairs.

‘Give it BACK-’

‘Kitty, I swear to god-’

‘I’m so glad you’re feeling better, love.’ Jane smiles warmly at her. ‘If you’re ok on your own now though, I have a strong suspicion there may possibly be a biscuit-dough fight for me to arbitrate….’

‘Probably for the best. Especially after the waffle fiasco-’

‘Don’t remind me…’

Jane shudders, then stands to go- Anna catches her hand and she turns back.

‘Jane?’

‘Yes?’

‘Thank you. Honestly. Thank you- so much. For everything.’ She bites her lip. ‘I-I don’t deserve it.’

Jane’s face creases in confusion. ‘What do you mean? Of course you deserve to be taken care of!’

‘Well….not…’ She’s struggling to explain it. ‘I brought it on myself- it’s not like I’m actually ill…’

‘That doesn’t matter.’ Jane steps forward, cups her cheek gently in a gesture that Anna has only ever seen her extend to Kitty, and perhaps it’s that she’s still a little out of it, but it very nearly brings tears to her eyes. ‘That doesn’t matter at all. You still deserve to be looked after Anna.’

She leans into the warm touch and almost purrs at Jane starts gently rubbing the back of her neck.

‘Mmmm-’ She’s cut off by a yawn and Jane laughs.

‘Tired?’

‘Exhausted.’

‘Go back to sleep love.’

She opens her mouth to protest- she should surely do something productive- but Jane cuts her off. ‘It’s an off day- the best thing you can do is rest while you can so you’re fresh for Monday.’

It does make sense when put like that- she sinks back into her pillows and feels Jane tuck the covers around her more securely.

‘Thanks Jane.’

‘Sweet dreams, love.’

She sleeps like a baby.


End file.
